6/19/2012

Sandwiched class needs more govt help

A Lim Wan Keng wrote in the ST forum today asking for changes to the stupid and outrageous HDB income ceilings that put many genuine home buyers in a fixed. With inflation running like a wild horse, many middle income earners would quite easily exceed the $12k ceiling. And the prices of HDB DBSS and exec condominiums are not cheap either. Why is this ceiling still in place when it is as obsolete as the thinking of its originator? Haven’t the message sank in that it is and was not affordable though some jokers insisted that it was?

Lim Wan Keng’s case, family growing but income exceeded ceiling and cannot upgrade to exec condominium, and not rich enough to be robbed by the private developers. This is the kind of fix the pro active, thinking and caring govt is placing on its citizens.

But she should count herself lucky as she already owned a HDB. What about those for some reasons like getting married late and found their income exceeded the ceiling and don’t even qualify as first timers? All inclusive society, no one is left out, every first timer will be able to buy a HDB. My stinking foot!

And there are many who have bought twice from the HDB and wanted to upgrade or downgrade as their needs have changed, or finances have changed. No way. After two bites of the cheery, that’s it. It is such thickness in the head that makes life very difficult for the Sinkies. With a lifespan of 70 to 80 years or more, the needs for housing will change. Two times are definitely inadequate and the buyers would be stuck in a shitty situation except those who could upgrade. If they are in some financial binds and need to sell, they will be in bigger shit.

Then there are those divorcees or from broken families. It is their faults huh? What is inclusiveness and caring all about?

Would there be a change in mindset and silly rules and regulations made by silly people be thrown into the dustbins? As for the too rich for HDB and too poor for private properties, vote for a change of govt if they want a policy change. There is no way for stubborn mules to change their mindset. There is no way to talk to the arrogance of power, or deaf frogs who think they are so right.

Don’t give the dumb craps that too many are waiting in the queue. Just go and build for the people. A roof over the people’s head is of utmost importance. Don’t give the excuse of the speculators making lesser profits. Make it clear that public housing’s main purpose is a home for every Sinkie. Profit is secondary and good if there is and good if there isn’t. Let the speculators go and speculate in the private sector.

Let all Sinkies be allowed to buy and own a public flat and also allowed to speculate in the private property sector. One as a home for all time, one to get rich if possible. Don’t mix the two. They can co exist. Do not force the young people into big debts by forcing them to buy private.

Just because you've had a few bad luck experiences in life, or find it difficult to achieve your ends, doesn't give you an automatic claim on the property of others, to be forcibly taken from them by the government, to be re-distributed to your sorry ass.

If you haven't figured it out by now that buying a place to live in Singapore is expensive, then perhaps you are still asleep.

There are always solutions: you can rent. What's wrong with that? Who says EVERYONE is ENTITLED to a home? And even if someone said that, do you really think it is wise to BELIEVE them?

Wake the fuck up.

P.S. There is no such thing as "class". It is an arbitrary construct. What you have in reality are men and women who have to make financial decisions on an INDIVIDUAL BASIS.

Matilah, you are speaking like a dumb ass speaking through your arse. Have you heard of land acquisition acts when the poor Sinkies land were acquired for practically free and now developed into expensive properties to be sold back to them.

And please lah, public housing prices need not be that high if we know the real cost and not asshole market pricing. And not hoards of foreigners coming in to buy. When the foreigners are buying, we don't have enough to sell.

Oh, they need the sandwiches to keep themselves wellfed. This is common knowledge. The problem of the sandwiched class did not appear yesterday and no one borders to solve them as they are meant to be squeezed dry.

The correct legal rubric is called Eminent Domain. It is perfectly legal for the state to expropriate land to do whatever they like with it.

From wikipedia: >> Singapore practices eminent domain under the Land Acquisitions Act which allows it to carry out its Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme for urban renewal. The Amendments to the Land Titles Act allowed property to be purchased for purposes of urban renewal against an owner sharing a collective title if the majority of the other owners wishes to sell and the minority did not. Thus, eminent domain often invokes concerns of majoritarianism. <<

Eminent domain trounces any democratic or "majority preference". It is 100% legal.

You can count your blessings that the state will sell it back to you -- even at a higher price. They do not have to sell at all. They can keep it, and you can suck eggs because it is perfectly LEGAL.

Matilah, what's wrong with threatening to vote out a govt? This is democracy and choosing a govt that serves the people is the right of the people. You can't accept that?

The fact that the people are threatening to vote out the govt is a kind feedback that they will do that if the govt is not seen to serve their interests. And it is a warning and giving the govt a chance to change course to be re elected again.

The situation will be worst if the people got so pissed off that they would not be bother to talk about it and keep quiet, then go and vote out the govt in the next GE.

Matilah_Singapura is not saying Sinkies cannot vote out their Govment lah. Just that it will be a tan ku ku coco wait.He is saying that that are better and more effective ways to throw away the Govmen fast or at least quicker.

What I'm saying is that I've heard -- for years -- all sorts of bombast about throwing out the government and/or holding the government's feet to the fire so that they act in a manner to "make the citizens happy".

When the majority MPs are pap, anything can be law. They just need to vote and legistration changed. Who benefits? The rich elites with connections. Even indonesian fugitives can travel in and out of singapore. Hows that? We need a strong opposition to represent the people.

If the management screws up. Shareholders can vote for new management. Didnt pap treat singapore like a company it owns? Transport, health care, power, kena privatise. No effective union to represent workers. The list goes on.

If speech doesnt count why are you giving speeches now? It is the freedom of speech or lack of it in singapore that the common people are suffering. A great housing debt if one is lucky enough to get a hdb flat. You think the MIW would have did a wayang exercise to cut minister pay if everyone kept quiet?

"pap law"? WTF? Hammering people is against the law lah. PAP or no pap, in any civilised society you cannot just go and whack people for your own suka suka reasons.

Yes it is possible that I am a troll. So rule # 1: Don't feed the troll.

I state again (ad naseum): What I write is OPINION. One man, and his opinion. I don't claim truth, I only support claims of fact by web links -- no physical evidence.

Here's the best one yet:

>> Nothing will convince him.

Nothing most of you lot write, for sure. All I get from you are ad hominems, lousy reasoning, fucked up logic, context dropping, floating abstractions, lack of objectivity...

...sorry lah, I have higher standards of intellectual rigour than that. So go away and learn some shit. Shame on you. You are supposed to belong to one of the most literate societies of our modern age.

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